#90-#88

90. Virtua Fighter 2
Saturn, 1996, AM2/Sega

The VF games have never been my favourite fighters, but their quality is undeniable. It’s pretty astounding to think that this remains one of the most technically impressive Saturn games, and it was only a few months behind the console itself into shops (compare the first Panzer Dragoon to Saga, for instance). Anyway, VF2 was not the Second Coming that some people would’ve had you believe, but you can’t say no to good ol’ Shun Di.

89. Mega Bomberman
Mega Drive, 1994, Hudson Soft/Sega

Boom, boom, shake-shake the room. Four players? Yesplz. Weird kangaroo things that jump and kick and dance and run? Why not indeed. And I liked the one-player mode and its giant robot banana, even if no-one else did.

88. Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Saturn, 1996, Avalanche Software/Midway

I’ve always had a massive soft spot for the MK series, although thinking about it this was actually the most recent one I’ve played (I did pick up Deadly Alliance, but it refused to work on my Gamecube). The fighting might not be that great, but the sheer over-the-top style is thoroughly entertaining, and this stands up as the best this side of MK2 (that I’ve played, anyway) with some of the greatest finishing moves. Love that Scorpion one with the clones that’s all squishy sound effects and no visuals.

(All the years of release, publishers, etc refer only to the European versions. Probably should've pointed that out earlier.)